Just a quick reminder:
As Halloween approaches please be advised many children have severe food allergies. My 2 daughters included... Just a simple request that we all try and avoid giving out candies with peanut and tree nut ingredients. Some of the big "offenders" are of course snickers, M&M's, MR Good bar, anything with peanut butter , i.e Butterfingers.
The problem is, that even if a child does not eat that candy directly, if the allergic child comes in contact with that product, there is still a chance they will have a reaction. For example, if a wrapper, while in the "pumpkin", gets torn or even if an adult that innocently snacks on a Reeces peanut butter cup, reaches out to place candy in a trick or treaters bag, there could potentially be peanut residue on your fingers and could "taint" the other non peanut product candy.
I know the simple solution is to not let the child trick or treat at all. However, certainly there are enough NON peanut type candies on the market that if we make the effort, it could avoid a potentially life threatening adverse reaction.
Thanks for your consideration,
10.03.2007
Trick or Treat! (and hold the nuts..)
What do you think? A friend of mine received this letter from a neighbor. (Everyone in the neighborhood got one.) She felt that the letter is ridiculous and that it's the parent's responsibility to weed out nut tainted candy. I feel that this parent is extremely concerned for his children's well-being and is doing everything he can to ensure their health and safety. I think the kids in the neighborhood can sacrifice having a Snickers Bar, or M&M's to help out the allergic children. I'd love your opinion!
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11 comments:
I think the parents just have to obstain from trick or treating. Because who's to say these things won't happen anyway, even with the letter. So many candies have nuts & peanuts, or are made in the same factories as ones that do not. It's a lot to ask of the neighbors, I'd be annoyed too. Too much pressure to place on others - it's the parent's responsibility.
That was my friend's feeling. I see your point.
I'm torn. Maybe it's because I'm always hoping my daughter will bring home lots of peanuty-candies she doesn't like, so I (ME ME ME) can eat them. This letter would devastate me. kidding ;-)
Having said that, having a child with this kind of allergy must be a nightmare. But I've heard of pre-schools, etc. sending out letters that none of the kids can bring peanut butter & jelly sandwiches, etc. to school b/c of the other kids with allergies. What??? This seems a bit extreme and unfair. But of course it's easy to say, because my child doesn't have the allergies.
Long story short: Heck, I don't know.
My niece has a severe peanut allergy and guess what, her mom is not sending out letters to the neighbor and she has a great time trick or treating. The night does not have to be all about the candy. She just loves to get dressed up and her mom is diligent about going through the candy. She keeps "safe" candy at home for her and my niece understands that it is part of her life. My son is allergic to eggs. All last year he abstained from cupcakes, cake at birthday parties, etc. He knows what his limitations are and he is fine with it. It's like a diabetic child...they need to educate them about their own limits. I can understand the letter but if that parent thinks she's going to avoid having to scour the candy anyway, she's crazy. She needs to make it fun for her child in some other creative way, change the focus and provide safe snack at home....and a bonus is that the mom gets to eat the candy...perhaps you should write back and tell her to bring the peanut-ridden candy to your house, Jill?
I think they should round up all the peanut ridden candy IN THE WORLD and send it to my house!
These parents should not let their child trick or treat period! Or just throw the whole treat bag away and replace with their own candy/snacks. It is their responsibilty and takes balls to ask an entire neighborhood to boycott certain candy products.
Great blog, found you today. Tell that mom to let her child trick or treat just like everyone else and then throw out the entire pumpkin of candy and swap it for what she CAN eat, which SHE can buy. Sheesh. We have one of the "those" moms in preschool, what a bonehead.
For the child's true safety, I agree with clemsongirl and ned. Let her trick or treat and have fun and then let her eat safe candy provided by the parents.
My reaction is UGH. It is the parents' responsibility if the child has a special need that is life-or-death. Seriously, would you entrust that to someone else to be as careful as you would in not having peanut contact? My son's preschool had a severely allergic child and we had to sign a form promising that our own children wouldn't eat peanut products for breakfast before school, etc. Happily other factors caused us to change schools about 6 weeks in...I was really uncomfortable feeling THAT responsible for another child's safety.
Wow! This has certainly sparked some debate. The guy who wrote this letter's wife kind of wrote an apology letter. But some of the responses from the neighborhood are getting harsh. Today one guy wrote.."do not bring any children with allergies to my door!" as the old saying goes..two wrongs don't make a right!Peace:)
My daughter has a peanut allergy. I would never consider sending out such a letter.
She started preschool this year, and I planned on staying with her while she was there because of the peanut allergy. As it turns out, two other kids there also have peanut allergies, and those parents requested the site be peanut free. Works for me!
That being said, long before I was ever pregnant with her I, long before I ever dreamed this would touch my life personally, I never understood people who thought it unreasonable that schools request parents not send their kids to school with peanut products if there is a life threatening allergy.
Can you imagine how frightening it is to send your child to school knowing they might not come home? That some other kid's peanut butter and jelly sandwich, or protein bar, or whatever somehow got in contact with your kid (like maybe residue on a swing, for example) and your child suffered an fatal reaction?
I can. I live in fear of it. Will I ask others to alter their lifestyles because of it? I haven't so far, but I don't know what I will do when my sweet girl starts kindergarten. I just don't know what I'll do.
It's not about asking others to be responsible for your child's welfare...it's asking others to limit the likelihood of your child coming into contact with what, to them, is a poison.
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